Not sure I go along with best lyrics ever, I think it's all a bit full of cliche as Paul so often is. I think Eleanor Rigby or For No One for example are better lyrically. But stick it with a great melody, and flash those gorgeous eyes, and I'll call it genius! What I do really like is Paul's phrasing; so often on cover verions, you hear awful phrasing, when it's all there in the original... no break between 'take a sad song and make it better'. The lightness on 'remember', oh I could go on......

Not sure I go along with best lyrics ever, I think it's all a bit full of cliche as Paul so often is. I think Eleanor Rigby or For No One for example are better lyrically. But stick it with a great melody, and flash those gorgeous eyes, and I'll call it genius! What I do really like is Paul's phrasing; so often on cover verions, you hear awful phrasing, when it's all there in the original... no break between 'take a sad song and make it better'. The lightness on 'remember', oh I could go on......

"Eleanor Rigby" lyrics are impressive too, but they were not 100% Paul. But words like "take a sad song and make it better" or "for well you know that is a fool who plays it cool by making his world a little colder" are pure genius to me.

Has anyone ever heard the 3'25 edit of Hey Jude that appeared on the short-lived Pocket Disc format in the late 1960s?

I actually have the Hey Jude pocket disc but have never been able to play it. The disc is so small (4" across) that the arm on my record player doesn't go far enough into the centre of the turntable to play it!! So I have never heard the version of the song that was used.

I assume that they simply chopped a few minutes off the Nah-Nah-Nah ending so that the song would fit on the little disc. Can anyone verify this?

Thanks Bobber.The "Nah-Nah-Nah"s of Hey Jude start at around 3'10, so I assume the song just fades out fairly quickly after they start.

I discovered that the same edit version is on the bootleg compilation All Together Now, sourced from Every Little Thing Vol 4.I am trying to download a copy of the All Together Now album now, but the torrent is going very slowly

Unfortunately, my copy of the Hey Jude Pocket Disc isn't in great condition - some of the writing has rubbed off and there is no sleeve - so I don't think it will be worth much. But it's cool to have (even if I can't play it!!)

"Capitol Records in the US released a special edited promotional copy of Hey Jude to radio stations. This one-sided 7 inch disc was edited to fade just after the start of the sing-a-long, bringing the running time down to 3:30. This special edited version also appeared on the short lived 4-inch 33 1/3 rpm “Pocket Disc.” Sourced from very noisy vinyl."http://www.bootlegzone.com/version.php?vid=27881&section=1

I have a few US promo 7" records from the 60s, but I never heard of this one-sided US promo disc of Hey Jude.

As expected, the Nah-Nah-Nahs just get going and then the song fades out.This version of the edit is obviously transferred straight from a poor vinyl copy because the sound quality is terrible. But that's how it appears on the All Together Now compilation so that's what I used!

Here's the 3'25 version of Hey Jude, taken from the All Together Now compilation ....As expected, the Nah-Nah-Nahs just get going and then the song fades out.This version of the edit is obviously transferred straight from a poor vinyl copy because the sound quality is terrible. But that's how it appears on the All Together Now compilation so that's what I used!

Thanks. Saves me an upload. lol. While researching this version a bit, I found as well that the sound quality is terrible. On the other hand what can you expect from a disc like this?

I don't agree with those who have said that the lyrics are cliched. I think that Hey Jude has some of the best lyrics Paul has ever written. They are vague, yes, but I think the beauty of the song lies in its universiality. Well, the "na na na"s are not so profound, but hey, they're catchy!

I don't agree with those who have said that the lyrics are cliched. I think that Hey Jude has some of the best lyrics Paul has ever written.

I certainly agree, Mairi. The lyrics are just as fresh today as they were over 42 years ago when I first heard Hey Jude. And, yes, still vague but that's the beauty of this song which remains one of my favorites.

I disagree. I think its way to long live and I would wish that he would never play it again (unless you've never seen him before I guess).

^^ interestingyou kno - i think that's because live - it's paul carrying the whole thingwith george, john and ringo as the 'backing band' on the studio version - u can feel them all getting progressively 'into it' as it jams on. they get so in the groove. it's subtle but it builds intensity not just in the orchestral additions or paul's vocals. george's strumming gains determination in every go round and ringo has the conviction of someone jamming with his best friend

when paul does it live it more feels like the band is regurgitating the 3 chords while paul does a soul singer impression. it never gets off the ground.Paul needs his homies ! (just my opinion)

This version of the edit is obviously transferred straight from a poor vinyl copy because the sound quality is terrible. But that's how it appears on the All Together Now compilation so that's what I used!

I just listened to the version on Every Little Thing vol. 4. It isn't any better than this one.